# Drying Beads



## asmartbull (Aug 16, 2009)

It's the time of the year that our beads/KL get saturated
and we look to dry them out, so they can continue to absorb
RH
For the heck of it, I placed a plate full of beads in the frig to see if I could
accelerate the process. So far 5 hrs into it, 1/2 the beads are back to white.
Will see hoe they are in the morning.

Tomorrow I will try a sample in the freezer. My concern here is that the moist beads freeze before the moisture content is reduced,,,but I won't know until I try.................Keep you posted


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## BlackandGold508 (Jan 23, 2011)

Very cool thread ! Great info !! Thank You !!!!!


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## Rock31 (Sep 30, 2010)

Just don't bake em


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## kapathy (Nov 20, 2010)

i put mine on a table next to my dehumidifier......i cant think of why this would be bad for them just an idea for those who run a dehumidifier in their basements


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## Cigary (Oct 19, 2007)

Interesting thread..will subscribe to see how it continues. I've been lucky never to oversaturate mine. I've ready several ways to get them to dehydrate...put blow dryer on low setting...put in the oven for a few minutes...microwave them but the fridge method seems like it's a safe method.


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## NoShhhSherlock (Mar 30, 2011)

asmartbull said:


> It's the time of the year that our beads/KL get saturated
> and we look to dry them out, so they can continue to absorb
> RH
> For the heck of it, I placed a plate full of beads in the frig to see if I could
> ...


Way to use a disadvantage in cigar storage as an advantage! opcorn:


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## asmartbull (Aug 16, 2009)

so far it is working
I knew if I used a hari dryer, I would have a white carpet in minutes
and I would forget about them in the oven....
Since the frig does a good job of drying out cigars,,,,figured I would give it a try. Lets see how things are in the AM


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## CraigJS (Dec 23, 2009)

Would putting them in the freezer cause them to shatter due to moisture expanding when it drops below 32*. Me, KL is so cheap I'll toss it and rebuy new stuff.


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## asmartbull (Aug 16, 2009)

CraigJS said:


> Would putting them in the freezer cause them to shatter due to moisture expanding when it drops below 32*. Me, KL is so cheap I'll toss it and rebuy new stuff.


KL is cheap,,,,beads not so much...

I am also swapping out my KL this week...Will try the "Ultra Pearl" this time


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## fivespdcat (Nov 16, 2010)

So this is why you are "asmartbull!" Pure genius!


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## asmartbull (Aug 16, 2009)

I worked...
Less than 1 day turned 1 lb back to snowflake white.......

I did put the dish in a drawer with baking soda to ensure
to smell from the frig would transfer to the beads.

Not sure it was necessary......


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## fivespdcat (Nov 16, 2010)

I love this! My KL is already in the fridge drying out. Thanks again Bull.


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## FWTX (Feb 9, 2011)

Beads should shed humidity in any atmosphere that is drier than where they came from, as will KL. 
Just as you said about not baking beads - I'd be very careful about freezing them, I'd put in a scant few clear ones in to see what happens first.
KL can be dried in an oven set to the lowest possible temp. - but I'd pull it out after just a few minutes.


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## Tritones (Jun 23, 2010)

Excellent info! In my house, I'm sure setting them on a counter would dry them overnight, but this is really good for folks who don't live in Aridzona.


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## Coop D (Oct 19, 2008)

Fun experiment, but am I wrong for just putting in fresh KL and not being a mad scientist????


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## fivespdcat (Nov 16, 2010)

I have found that sometimes fresh KL is already at the ambient RH, which around here can be quite high.


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## FWTX (Feb 9, 2011)

Tritones said:


> Excellent info! In my house, I'm sure setting them on a counter would dry them overnight, but this is really good for folks who don't live in Aridzona.


Same here in Texas - I'd probably set mine on a sunny window seal for a couple hours and get them dry enough to put back and spritz again.
I used to work in a laboratory - SOP to put desicants in a low temp oven to dry.


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

asmartbull said:


> KL is cheap,,,,beads not so much...
> 
> I am also swapping out my KL this week...Will try the "Ultra Pearl" this time


They work great if you can't find em let me know Bull i got plenty!!!!!


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## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

Nearly all manufacturers of conservation beads recommend oven drying of beads. I do it every spring. Takes about 20min.

I would not recommend freezing, since they are almost certain to crack.


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## CALIFORNIA KID (Nov 21, 2010)

these are for beads to keep things dry, I keep them in the bottom of my safe.

Look at the FAQ question about reusing

I know they aren't the same thing but it may work.

Bulk Silica Gel


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## smokin_dad (Jan 25, 2012)

Sorry for "reviving" such as old post but was curious about using the refrigerator to dry out beads and found this. Seems that it works. 
My question is: Will too much time in a refigerator damage the beads? If for some reason they beads are dried out enough after say 24hrs, will leaving them in there another 24hrs damage them? What's the max time they can be left in the refrigerator, or even the oven for those that bake them to dry them out?


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## asmartbull (Aug 16, 2009)

Billy
I have done the Oven, Freezer and Frig with no ill effect with either method.
When put in the frig, they spent several days ( I forgot they were there)...No ill effect.
but the Oven get the quickest results


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## smokin_dad (Jan 25, 2012)

Thanks Al. I have done the oven method before, but wasn't sure if there other ways. I have always been curious. I was always under the impression you don't want the beads to freeze or get too hot where the water would boil. Thanks for you help.


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## asmartbull (Aug 16, 2009)

if you use the oven, 30minutes at 200 degrees is perfect


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## Dual-500 (Feb 20, 2012)

I put the whole container (metallic bread loaf pan) of Pearl silica kitty litter in the oven at 170 F for about 30 minutes, then let it cool down while still in the oven for an hour or so - worked fine.


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## horseshoe (May 29, 2011)

In regards to keeping beads in the fridge for extended periods of time, it is no problem at all! I use KL for my humi/coolidors, as well as bags of them in my gun safe as a dessicant. The KL I use in my gun safe I put in a couple of the wife's old nylons, and keep a few in the safe, and a few in the fridge. Every couple months, I'll switch them out and start the process over again.

They sit in the fridge for several months at a time with no ill effects, as long as you aren't storing strong odor foods in the fridge. The beads/KL will pick up some of that smell over time, but a little baking soda nearby fixes that problem.


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## smokin_dad (Jan 25, 2012)

asmartbull said:


> if you use the oven, 30minutes at 200 degrees is perfect


I did 200 degrees and I was pushing almost 2 hours before I saw a noticeable change in the quantity that changed from clear to white.


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## Gio (Nov 10, 2011)

I am a beads user and have not had the need to dry them. However this thread provided me with some good information, just in case! :rockon:


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## asmartbull (Aug 16, 2009)

On a side note.
I always have back-up KL/Beads in the Frig so I can swap them out in the Summer
They site there for about a month between usages.


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## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

smokin_dad said:


> I did 200 degrees and I was pushing almost 2 hours before I saw a noticeable change in the quantity that changed from clear to white.


I've been doing 45min @ 250, 3x a summer for years, with absolutely no ill affect. Indeed, water boils at 220-ish, depending on elevation, however, as porous as beads are, the water evaporates long before it reaches boiling temp. If your beads are really damp, you can leave them in longer if need be. You'd need to hit in excess of 800* before you did anything bad to them.


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## Vwluv10338 (Aug 24, 2010)

I have thrown KL in the microwave with no problems. It doesnt take much time at all and I'm talking seconds.


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## atllogix (May 1, 2012)

Glad I ran across this thread. I over saturated my beads as soon as I got them and the lowest RH I can naturally get to is around 70% or so and the beads are 65%. All this trial and error and just error and finding out how to correct it on the board is actually quite nice.


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## asmartbull (Aug 16, 2009)

I always keep a cpl lbs of KL/Beads in my frig.
When I find the rh in a cooler start creeping up, I swap them out.
That said, yesterday I swapped out the KL in one cooler and the rh went from 65 to 60
over night....


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## Michigan_Moose (Oct 11, 2011)

Great revival, I have a new game plan now thanks to this thread... Great post Bull.


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## hawesg (Jun 9, 2012)

I've always used a blow dryer on low fan/low heat works pretty well. I try to avoid such things in the first place but sometimes i get a little bit over zealous with the included syringe. This reminds me to buy a spray bottle.


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## Hoosier Daddy (May 15, 2012)

Yeah, this isn't a problem in the Colorado climate either. I'm always worried about getting enough humidity because everything is dry here.


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